BRUSSELS, Belgium / EuroWire.IO / – According to Eurostat, fuel costs for private transportation within the European Union rose by 31.4% in September 2026 compared to the same month last year. This represents the steepest increase observed over the past three months, following a 16.9% rise in July and a 23.8% increase in August. The data encompass fuels and lubricants used in personal vehicles and were published by Eurostat on October 21. These figures are part of the EU’s harmonised consumer price statistics.
In 26 out of 27 EU member states, the annual growth in fuel prices during September exceeded that of July and August. Bulgaria experienced the largest increase at 42.2%, with Estonia at 40.6% and Lithuania at 40.2%. These three countries were the only ones where prices jumped by over 40%. An additional 12 countries reported annual increases above 30%, with Czechia at 37.5% and Portugal at 30.3%. The widespread nature of these increases highlights how broadly elevated costs have become across the bloc.
Hungary saw the smallest annual increase at 6.9%, while Ireland’s rise was 17.7%. Sweden experienced a 19.9% increase, and Cyprus’s prices went up by 24.6%, which is below the EU average. The data indicate that almost drivers across all member states paid considerably more at the pump than they did a year earlier. Some governments, such as Germany, have responded by cutting fuel taxes to reduce the burden on households.
Both diesel and petrol see further price hikes in September
Prices also experienced notable increases from one month to the next. Across the EU, diesel prices rose by 5.9% in September compared with August, while petrol prices grew by 6.7% during the same period. In August, diesel had increased by 8.3% and petrol by 3.3% compared to July. These figures suggest persistent upward pressure on transport fuel costs through the late summer and into autumn.
Between August and September, diesel prices went up in 26 EU countries. Sweden recorded the highest monthly increase at 12.8%, followed by Latvia with 10.3% and Poland with 9.7%. The smallest increases were seen in Spain at 2.4%, Croatia at 2.5%, and Romania at 3.0%. The data reveal considerable variations across member states, with taxes and duties constituting a large portion of the final pump price in most EU countries.
Sweden experiences largest monthly increase in petrol prices
Between August and September, petrol prices also rose in 26 member states. Sweden again saw the biggest jump at 13.8%, with Poland at 9.7% and Estonia at 9.5%. The smallest increases were recorded in Cyprus at 3.8%, Romania at 4.2%, and Slovenia at 4.6%. Despite one of the lowest annual increases, Sweden experienced the largest monthly rise for both diesel and petrol. Cyprus remained below the EU average in the annual comparison.
Rising energy costs have driven up consumer prices across Europe this year. Euro area inflation reached 3.3% in August, largely fueled by energy. The Bank of Italy recently projected that oil prices will average $114 a barrel in the fourth quarter of 2026. Eurostat will release additional price data in the upcoming weeks. Fuel expenses remain a significant factor impacting household budgets and transport companies alike.